Full Moon's Vengeance
by IndigoDraco
Summary: With the death of her sister by human hands haunting her every step, Natsuki, Alpha Werewolf, is on the hunt for vengeance. But just how far is she willing to go to for revenge when the last human on the list comes with a surprise?
1. Prologue

A/N I've been reading so many fanfics where someone's a werewolf I just couldn't resist (plus I just finished reading the fourth book in the Parasol Protectorate series by Gail Carriger, if you like supernatural, a parasol wielding English woman in Victorian London, and an English fondness for having tea at inappropriate moments have a look at these). I know I'm meant to be working on Four Star Crossed Lovers, but I just couldn't work on it while this was in my head. This is just the prologue/introduction. I'll be getting the next/first chapter finished/polished poste haste.

**Disclaimer: I don't own Mai Hime etc etc**

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><p>The new world is a harsh one for the creatures of the night.<p>

During the day those disgusting pale creatures that had forgotten their instincts wandered, shaping and changing the land to suit them. And at night their strange orange light oozed into the darkest havens, so that no beast could find safety in the shadow.

Over time those pale things had hunted them. Not for meat, no, never for meat. But rather for trophies. Their corpses maimed and defiled. Hacked and sawed. Preserved and polished. All to be stuffed and locked away where only those with money would be able to see their dulled beauty.

The wolves prowled.

One of their own had been slaughtered. Chased by dogs and beaters like a common fox. Horses bearing men crashing through the undergrowth. Horns bellowing and ringing in sensitive ears. Shots that rang out loud and clear, sending birds skywards. And that ever present companion of those hated metal weapons; the smell of gunpowder.

One of their own, chased down and killed. Cornered and out numbered. She never stood a chance. They had watched the hunters drag her stiffening body away, laughing and patting each other on the back in congratulations.

The pack Alpha trembled with the need to protect her own, but the warning growl from her Beta ensured she stayed hidden, reminding her of her duty to the pack. Every wolf knew that the pack was the priority. Protect the pack. Ensure the pack survives. No single wolf was above that. But these wolves have long memories, cold hearts and no mercy.

The Alpha's emerald eyes glared with anger after the retreating hunters, their prize carried with pride.

_We will never forgive this._ The Alpha thought. _The pack will repay this insult tenfold. I will never rest until you are obliterated._

The Beta, as if sensing her Alpha's dark thoughts whined softly. The Alpha looked at her for a moment before prowling away, the pack following in silence, their mood dark.

_Not tonight. Not tomorrow. But soon, petty humans. You will be avenged, my sister. My precious little Alyssa._

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><p><em>AN I know this is short, but I promise the next will be quite a bit longer. So, thoughts? Comments? Please don't be shy! :)_


	2. Chapter 1

A/N This is the proper first chapter. Thanks all for reading this and the reviews and keep 'em coming :D (Oh and thanks Yuri-hime for pointing out those errors, I'll go correct them ASAP) Not sure when the next chapter will be, I'm currently reading _another_ werewolf book, 'Frostbitten' by Kelly Armstrong, I've been behind on the reading recently so I gotta catch up :D Anyway, enjoy!

**Disclaimer: I don't own Mai Hime**

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><p>The woman ran.<p>

Fear.

That was all she felt.

Fear.

Panic.

Mind in a whirl as instinct took over.

Instinct.

The instinct to run away.

The instinct to survive.

Instincts screaming.

Her screams.

Her screams of terror.

Terror of the thing chasing her.

Terror of the fangs and claws baying for her blood.

Blood.

That red substance that was the essence of life.

The blood that even now oozed from wounds.

Wounds.

Wounds inflicted by the raging beast.

The beast that had her cornered.

Trapped.

No escape.

Death.

Natsuki howled.

The sound reverberated through the house, causing anything not pinned down to shake.

A wolf with midnight blue fur and bright emerald green eyes. Standing at two foot two at the shoulder, she could be mistaken for a dog, albeit a very bad tempered dog that was more likely to bite your hand off than let you pet her.

She watched with detached interest as the human woman ran through the corridors, stumbling and falling only to pick herself up once more. Throwing anything that came to hand behind her in her rush to slow whatever was chasing her.

Natsuki snorted. As if a fallen table or chair would stop her.

She was the Alpha wolf. She had lived for centuries, watching the world change around her. Humans were but a moment in a werewolf's lifetime. Though no matter how much one tried to contain them, they continued to run rampant. Spreading like bacteria.

She trotted after the sounds of whimpering sobs and numerous crashes.

The woman huddled in a corner, legs drawn to her chest, arms wrapped around legs, head buried into the darkness of her knees. That childish game of hide and seek, if you couldn't see them then they couldn't see you. Truly a child's way of thinking. Shutting out the world did not mean that the world had shut _you_ out.

Playing with her prey was a pup's attitude, and Natsuki was no pup.

"P-p-please." The woman begged. It seemed to be human nature to beg. Even if they thought it impossible to be understood, they still begged. Hoping to survive just that moment longer.

Natsuki decided to grant the plea, just not in the way the woman wanted.

She lunged, biting down hard on the exposed neck. Hearing a satisfying crack, she clamped down harder, shaking her head slightly, ensuring the kill.

Her jaws opened and the limp form dropped to the ground with a thump. She grimaced slightly. She would never get used to the strange taste of humans. Meat they may be, but never enjoyable meat. Tainted meat. Tainted by all those chemicals they used and consumed.

She yawned.

Although the hunt had been short, it had not been enjoyable. Humans made for poor hunts. They were too slow. Too panicky. Too easily killed. Better to put them out of their misery now.

She snorted softly.

Water. Water and meat. Anything to get that foul taste out of her mouth.

She trotted through the house, sniffing for water. Her nose caught the scent as she followed. It led to a white bowl with a lid. Her lip curled in disgust and decided it better to leave the house entirely. If only she could leave the city. But she could not leave the world of humans until she had fulfilled the pledge she had made.

She left the house, knowing that soon curious humans would start asking questions. Poking their noses where they didn't belong. They wouldn't find anything. They would assume a dog attacked the woman. No one would ever connect the dots throughout history. Connect the numerous dog killings to that incident all those years ago. For who would ever suspect that one wolf was the true killer? The killer that was almost done with exterminating several lineage's in their entirety.

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><p>A raven haired beauty stalked through the city suburbs, hands buried in pockets, head hanging low, shoulders hunched, a small grimace etched on her face. The filth here was unbearable to her sensitive nose, but she must bare it. She must bare it for <em>her<em>.

Looking at the hunched figure you'd think it any ordinary depressed youngster, abandoned and rejected by the world. That's all anyone saw. Judging by appearances was etched and burned into this world's thinking. Humans thought that after a few glances they had any and all information they needed, unless they found something of interest that is. But that was a grave mistake to make, particularly when _this_ person was involved.

At first glance, relatively small. A mere five foot four inches in height, looking to be in her early twenties. Midnight blue tresses poked out from beneath the shadowed hood, hiding most of her face. A trim figure beneath the baggy jeans and hoodie. It was nearly impossible to say if it was male or female if it hadn't been for the telltale walk.

The night itself was an ordinary one for a city, drunken revellers shouting and stumbling. The roads clear save for late night travellers, and everywhere the artificial orange light and the underlying reek of waste.

She tensed upon seeing a large group of drunken idiots approaching from across the street. Seven large men, half tripping and half helping each other remain standing. All wore jeans and rugby shirts. She tried to remember if there had been a match tonight. She shrugged, not caring either way.

One with dirty blonde hair glanced up and saw her approaching. He leered, his confidence boosted by the foul drink.

"Oi, pretty!" he slurred. His shout alerted his companions and they looked at their approaching prey, grinning with ill disguised glee, nudging each other in the sides.

She repressed the need to roll her eyes. Honestly, just who did they think they were? Thinking that they would ever, what was the word? Score, with her.

"Wanna come bacsh to my plash for shum fun?" the blonde slurred.

She repressed a shudder and ignored him. While she may loathe humans, she loathed the men even more, particularly the drunken ones. Especially drunken men that moved to block her path!

"Oi, he's talking to you girl." The only black haired man there said. He seemed to be the most sober as his speech was barely slurring.

She shrugged. Trying to get past them without touching them seemed to be a particularly impossible feat, especially as fourteen hands were reaching to stop her. She snarled, the expression lost in the shadows of her hood.

"Bugger off."

"Ooo she's a feisty one. Think we can break her boys? Teach her some manners?" the black head laughed to his companions. He reached out, eyes filled with lust.

She snarled, grabbing the offending hand and twisting savagely, her hood falling back as she did so. Emerald eyes burned with an inner fury, lip curled in disgust, revealing elongated fangs.

And blood. Drying blood on and around those twisted lips.

The man's eyes filled with fear as he stared at the furious face, mouth flapping like a fish out of water as he tried to find words.

She released the wrist and stormed past, pulling her hood back up. The drunken men parted like the Red Sea in her wake. She repressed a smirk of satisfaction. They'd think it was all part of their drunken imagination, for who would ever believe they'd seen a pretty girl with fangs and a face covered in blood.

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><p>"Got anything?"<p>

The hook-nosed man behind the counter shrugged. "Might do, then again I might not."

She snarled, reaching out and grabbing him by the collar. Lifting his weight effortlessly with one arm.

"Give it to me now, or I'll rip your head off, Yamada."

He raised his hands in a pathetic attempt at surrender. "Alright, alright. Keep ya knickers on." He grabbed something from his pocket and offered it over.

She took it and released Yamada who dropped to the floor, barely keeping on his feet. Her eyes scanned the piece of paper feverishly. She read it over several times, trying to confirm the information.

"Are you certain that this is true?" She asked, green eyes locked on brown, searching for any hint of deceit.

"I'm as certain as my contacts are." Yamada replied. A bead of sweat trickled down his face, this strange person always made him shiver in fear, though he'd never admit it.

She nodded, knowing full well that even though Yamada may be a slippery snake, he never lied about information. Unless he had something to gain from lying that is. An information broker would never give out false information to a paying client. If the fee for that information was a very ill tempered woman _not_ ripping his head off, well, there was no price that could top that.

"Very well, good day, Yamada." She turned and left, throwing a small envelop on the counter as she passed. She smirked humourlessly when her sharp ears picked up his sigh of relief.

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><p>She walked through the streets once more. A scent reached her, a scent she recognised instantly.<p>

"Still on your hunt for revenge, Alpha?" a red haired pushed herself off the wall she had been leaning on, arms crossed, keeping the generous growth in check.

She turned to look at her Beta. "I swore a Blood Oath, Mai. I will not break my oath, not for anything."

Mai shook her head sadly. "It's been centuries, Natsuki. Any descendents will be barely related, only having a drop of their blood."

"A drop is plenty, Mai. I swore over my sister's body that I would never rest until I had completely wiped out their line." Natsuki said in a dead voice. That voice alone should have warned Mai off, but warnings had never stopped her before.

"Natsuki, listen to me! The Blood Oath has long since been paid. All direct descendents are dead and gone at your teeth. All that remain are the descendants of relatives, cousins, nieces and nephews. You wiped out the last of the direct relatives nearly a century ago!"

"I know that, Mai. But there is only one left. One more to kill, and then my blood debt is paid." Natsuki shoved her Beta aside.

"One more innocent to murder you mean." Mai whispered, watching her estranged Alpha walk out into the night.

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><p>AN I've got a mean little plan for this one, chances are though that the story will take a completely different route. For those Shizuru fans out there, don't worry, she's coming soon!

Please review/comment, and if you see any errors please say, I currently have no beta :)


	3. Chapter 2

A/N I really can't get this story out of my head, it's moving a little quicker than I planned, but I don't care :) No beta at present, so please excuse any errors.

**Disclaimer: I do not own Mai Hime etc**

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><p>Fingers tapping away at the keys were the only sound permeating the room. Not including the gentle breathing from its sole occupant, or the slight squeaks coming from the chair as its occupant shifted, nor the soft shifting of papers being moved. All right so the room was not all that quiet. In truth the fan from the air conditioner was rattling like a rattlesnake. The flickering lights were making a bizarre buzzing noise. And the sound of rock music from the office next door was coming through the paper-thin walls.<p>

Shizuru Fujino sighed in frustration, glad that she could let her mask down inside her dingy office. Pausing for a break from the insistent typing, she leaned back and took a sip of luke warm tea. She grimaced slightly and went for a refill. Eyes flicking over the poor selection she picked one at random, hoping that it would be somewhat better than the previous. Her hopes were for naught as she took a small sip, lips tightening slightly.

Oh what she would do for a decent cup of tea!

"Oi! Fujino!"

The walls shook from the yell.

She inwardly sighed, turning with a smile to greet her red faced editor.

On the whole an average man. Average height, average face, average build. The only things _not_ average about him were the very unusual muttonchops and waxed moustache. Said moustache was now twitching. That only meant one thing; he was annoyed about something.

The editor slammed a magazine down on the desk. It opened at a page with an article Shizuru knew far too well, having written it.

"What is all this garbage about werewolf theories? Have you actually lost it, Shizuru? Dog attacks being turned into ferocious werewolf attacks? Not even our magazine claims that kind of stuff." He sighed and collapsed in the only other chair in the room that groaned under the unaccustomed weight (it was very much used to hosting paper rather than people). "Do you know what they're starting to say, Shizuru? That you're an utter crackpot."

"Ara, they've been saying that for years." Shizuru said, seating herself down behind her desk.

Her editor glanced up and smiled. "True. Very true, Shizuru. But now they're thinking about it seriously. I've been hearing murmurs of psychiatric wards and the like. All sorts of rumours really. Drugs. A mucked up childhood. A few too many cups of tea."

Shizuru's smile tightened ever so slightly. "I don't see how this ties in with the article, Editor. People talk, that is the way of society."

The Editor sighed and rubbed his face before answering. "Keep things low key for a bit. You know, the usual rubbish. Ghost sightings. Alien abductions. Contacts from the other side. Anything but more werewolves."

Shizuru nodded after thinking it over in a blink. "Very well, no more werewolves for the next few articles."

The Editor sighed in relief and sank back. "Good. I'll let you get back to work then." He rose to leave, but paused as if a thought had come to mind. "On second thought, Shizuru. Take the rest of the week off. Get some rest, go out with your friends. I know you take this seriously for someone your age."

Shizuru frowned in confusion. "But sir, it's only Monday. I couldn't possibly–"

"Boss' order, Fujino." The Editor said firmly, leaving no room to manoeuvre.

She agreed and bid him good day.

It did not take long before she was walking through the dim hallways to the exit, and then home.

Home.

It was less of a home and more a house. Somewhere she slept at and kept all her belongings, but never somewhere she would call home. For as long as she could remember there had never been a proper home except that one right at the start of her memories, when they seemed more like fragments of dreams than memories.

A place to call home, where loving parents waited to embrace her as they laughed.

All torn away in a night of fire.

Shizuru shook her head, shaking the memories off.

She knew what had happened from reports and old newspaper clippings, but no one knew the cause. That was what had set her on her path of searching into the unknown. Digging for secrets long since buried. From the supernatural to the bizarre. From the norm to the dull. Anything that caught her eye she delved into with single-minded intent, telling her not-so-avid readers all about what she had uncovered.

They thought it a bit of entertaining reading while they travelled to and from work. She considered it a form of private investigating. When mouths remained shut, she coaxed them open. When doors were sealed shut, she found a back door. When…well you get the picture.

Her own personal crusade to find the truth.

The truth of what had happened seventeen years ago, when she was barely six. And the cause of her not-so happy upbringing.

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><p>"<em>Shizuru!" that soft and gentle voice, calling for her.<em>

"_Come out, come out wherever you are." deeper, rougher, but no less loving._

_She grinned, watching as the two adults searched high and low. Checking under the couch. Pulling aside the curtains. Pushing aside books. Looking in every nook and cranny for their hiding daughter._

_Her father stood up, hands on hips and said a little too loudly. "It seems our lovely daughter has run away my dear. Whatever shall we do?"_

_Her mother's lips twitched before her eyes started to water slightly. "Oh my poor baby. All alone. How I will miss her." She hugged her husband, shoulder shaking in mock sobs._

"_Mamma, Papa! Please don't cry. I'm here. I'm alright." She raced from her hiding spot behind the pot plant and hugs her parents' knees, red eyes watering as she looked up at them._

_Her father smiled down at her, before reaching and lifting her up._

"_It's alright my little angel. Papa's here for us. I'll protect you no matter what."_

_The family hugged each other, content to be in one another's company._

But dreams are not meant to last forever. They end in two ways. When you wake up, or when they turn into a nightmare.

"_Mamma! Papa!" she screamed._

"_Run, Shizuru!" her father yelling at her._

_Animal sounds. _

_Growls and snarls._

_Crashes and screams._

_Roars of fury._

_A sickening crack as bones break._

_She stood frozen. Staring at the magnificent beast with its jaws around her father's throat. Emerald eyes staring at her. Watching her with intelligence far above that of a normal creature._

_Flames formed a halo about the dark wolf. All she saw was a dark, shadowy mass of fur and fangs, and those two piercing emerald eyes._

_The wolf released her prey. Muzzle raising as she sniffed this new scent. The scent of a new prey._

"_Papa?" Shizuru asked quietly, fearfully. "Papa, get up. Stop playing. Papa I'm scared. Help me Papa."_

_The wolf snorted and prowled towards the small girl._

_She backed away. Tripping over the rug._

_Sirens screeched nearby._

_The wolf's ears twitched, focusing on the sound. It glanced back at the blazing fire, then down at the girl. Up at the ceiling, watching the thick smoke._

_It snorted before darting through the house and out of sight. A crash of glass evidence of its exit._

_The little girl lay frozen, staring where the wolf had vanished, tears spilling from her eyes, leaving tear tracks on her soot covered face._

_That dreadful scene of red._

_The blazing red of the flames. And the bright red of blood._

Shizuru awoke with a gasp, shooting upright, panic in her eyes as she tried to dislodge the nightmare. In the darkness of her room she cried.

"You broke your promise, Papa. You didn't protect me." She whispered, before drifting into dreamless sleep, emotionally exhausted.

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><p>AN So what do you think? Good? Bad? Plain strange? Please review!


	4. Chapter 3

A/N Hey everyone, sorry for the late-ish, I got a little sidetracked by things. Anyway thanks all for the reviews and I'll try to get around to answering any questions in a bit. I can't decide how much background info I should be going into here, so I tried to keep everything moving along, though it may seem a bit broken here and there. This has only been read through by me, so if there are any errors, please kindly overlook them :)

BTW my German is awful but iirc wasser bitte means water please (someone I know was shouting this while drunk one night, was very strange)

**Disclaimer: No, I don't own Mai Hime etc etc**

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><p>The day was young, the birds were singing and the sun was shining.<p>

What this translates to is; it was stupidly early in the morning, the pigeons were already pecking around, and the sun was beating down on the exposed shoulders on the unwary, blistering skin.

Shizuru sighed softly and brought the cup of tea to her lips, sipping delicately.

"Bubuzuke!"

She remained unfazed.

"Bubuzuke look at me you tea drinking nut!"

Still unfazed.

A hand slammed down on table making the legs buckle slightly.

"Bu-bu-zuke." A voice that was restraining itself as much as possible while still rumbling with anger.

She glanced up and smiled softly. "Ara, hello Haruka. How are you this fine day?"

Haruka Suzushiro, a loud mouthed blonde with amethyst eyes, a skull thick as steel and just as dense and self proclaimed rival of Shizuru Fujino during their high schools days, or rather _all_ their days.

"Don't 'how are you this fine day' me, young missy!" Shizuru winced slightly. One thing to note about Haruka, she didn't understand the word 'quiet', as such, she shouted everything without a thought to people's ear drums. "I just got off the clone to your editor."

"It's 'phone' Haruka-chan." Yukino Kikukawa. Haruka's trusty side kick, not to mention the supposed brains of the pair.

"I said that!" Haruka glared at her quiet half before turning that glare onto the tea sipping brunette. "As for you, when were you going to tell us you had a peek off?"

"Ara, I was going to tell you I had the week off today Haruka. But it seems you beat me to it. Would you like a seat?"

Haruka huffed and fell into a chair, arms crossed. Yukino sat down with a little more grace.

"I'm assuming that you heard the reason?"

Haruka grunted in affirmation.

"I thought so." Shizuru took another sip of tea.

"When are you going to give up on that ridiculous theory of werewolves?" Haruka sighed in exasperation. "It's been years, yet you simply won't give it up."

Shizuru gave a miniscule shrug. "People can have their own views and theories, I have mine."

She stared into her cup of tea, lost in thought.

The three of them had been close friends for years. After what they referred simply as 'that' happened, Shizuru had moved into her God parents' house, which just happened to be the Suzushiros. Haruka Suzushiro, a robust little girl who shocked all she met with the amount of volume such a small thing could let out, had taken one look at the downcast red eyed brunette and decided that she would protect her. If that be from cruel little boys or nightmare wolves then so be it.

She could do it, after all she had GUTS!

Oh how wrong she had been…

_**Flashback**_

"_So, who's this?" the blonde said, peering curiously at the brunette clutching her mother's leg._

"_This is Shizuru, Haruka-chan." Her mother said softly. "She's going to be staying with us."_

_The blonde looked at her mother, then over to the brunette. Behind those amethyst eyes her mind was deciding what to do. She smiled and tugged on the girl's arm._

"_Come on, let's go play."_

_She dragged the brunette through the house, giving the guided tour extraordinaire, in other words she was told everything about the house and that meant __**everything**__. Every little known and unknown fact, from who the designer was, to the history of where each tree was felled, even the private lives of the builders who had worked on it._

_The small brunette was brought out of her stupor at the sheer amount of information her companion contained._

"_Ara I didn't know that it wood could be so expensive."_

_Haruka stared at the brunette, dumbstruck for a matter of seconds before grinning widely and began rambling on about 'Saving the Rainforest' or some such._

_The brunette smiled slightly at her companion's antics, the emptiness fading away as her red eyes gleamed with curiosity._

A few days later…

_The door bell rang and with surprising volume the blonde roared happily._

"_Yukino!" she belted from the room leaving a perplexed Shizuru behind. The brunette could hear the thumps as the blonde hurtled down the stairs, then back up again. The door flew open as Haruka shoved it aside dragging a small girl behind her._

"_Shizuru! This is Yukino, she's our next door neighbour, and she just got back from Austria."_

"_You mean Australia, Haruka-chan." Yukino said timidly._

"_I said that!"_

_Yukino smiled at the blonde before looking at the brunette._

"_Yukino Kikukawa."_

"_Shizuru Fujino. So, Australia? What's it like down under?"_

_Over the next few hours Shizuru noticed that Haruka muddled up some of her words while Yukino quietly corrected her. Her eyes lit with an inner mischief as her smile widened ever so slightly. The two young girls never knew that there was a thin mask on the face of their new friend. A thin mask that was the only thing that stood as a barrier between the flawless and perfect image and the true inner feelings of a broken girl._

_**End flashback.**_

"Oi, Bubuzuke? You still five?"

_Oh how close you come to the truth, Haruka._

She smiled. "Yes, I'm alive, Haruka."

"Good! Because I happen to have a nice surprise for you."

Shizuru shot a scared look to Yukino, terrified to learn what new disaster the blonde had prepared.

Yukino smiled softly. "Don't worry, Shizuru. She didn't plan it all."

"Of course I didn't plan it all, do you think anyone would let me do it all after the Cake Incident?" Haruka huffed. They all shuddered. It had taken days to clean up the mess.

"So, what is it?"

"We're going on the biggest pub crawl of the century!"

Shizuru blinked.

Then blinked again.

And one more blink for good luck, hoping she had misheard.

"Come again?"

Haruka smirked, one upping the devious brunette. "**We**are going on a pub crawl, and not just us. I've managed to rope in everyone from our college and high school days." She grinned triumphantly.

"Why do I get the feeling this is going to end badly?" Shizuru muttered under her breath, rubbing away a crease in her forehead.

_**That night…**_

"Shizuru!"

_Oh yay, drunk Haruka aka Sonic Boom Haruka._

"Haruka, how much have you had tonight?" a perfectly serious face, eyebrows lowered in concentration, and eyes slightly unfocused. Drunken Shizuru is near impossible to recognise save for a slight lowering of the mask, and a significant lessening in teasing which took everyone by surprise.

Haruka frowned in thought. "I dunno. Maybe a beer or ten. There was da wodka shots." She leaned forward slightly, over balancing completely and landing on the ground in a mess. "Oo Yuki got shum…shum…YUKINO WASSER BITTE!"

Shizuru flinched. "Wasser?"

"Here Haruka-chan." Yukino came rushing over, a glass of water in her hands. "Sip slowly now."

Yukino was the smart one it seemed. Or rather she was the designated driver of the night as she was the only one with a car big enough for a drunk Haruka.

"I think we've all had enough, ne Yukino?"

Yukino nodded, answering with sarcasm. "I agree. Oh this is going to be fun." She turned to the prone figure snoring softly on the floor. "At least she's passed out. Can you give me a hand?"

Shizuru nodded and helped heave the hefty blonde through the pub to the waiting car. In a brilliant moment of foresight Yukino had parked the car within each reach of the last four pubs, knowing that after the fifth things would start going downhill.

Safely depositing their snoring cargo and strapping it in securely (Haruka's limbs had a mind of their own when infused with alcohol, more than one person having come away bruised), Shizuru turned back to the pub, intending to go back inside.

"You staying a bit longer, Shizuru?"

"Yes, Yukino. I want to talk with Reito a little longer."

Yukino nodded in understanding then vanished into the car. The car's engine purred into life before slowly moving away.

Shizuru returned to the pub, smiling at the beaming man sitting in a corner with a cup of tea.

"Already on the tea, Reito?"

"Of course, Shizuru. Nothing quite like a good cup of tea after a pub crawl. Care to join me?"

After swiftly ordering her own beverage Shizuru sat down and together they reminisced over the last for years. Almost like old times.

Reito Kanzaki, black haired and golden eyed, dressed smartly in jeans and a shirt, a handsome specimen of man yet one that didn't 'push' Shizuru's buttons, for which they were both grateful. Who wants to be attracted to their tea drinking partner? Yuck! At that moment in time he was keenly watching the red head on the karaoke machine.

"What do you think of that one?" he asked out of the blue.

"Ara, going after the younger ones now, Reito?"

He smirked. "She doesn't look _that_ young, Shizuru. Reckon I've got a chance?"

She watched the red head and the other woman on the other side of the room for a few moments longer, chortling when the song ended and the black spiky haired pounced on the red head. "Not any more you don't."

He sighed. "Well, it was always worth a thought."

She patted his back in mock sympathy. "I'm sure there's someone out there for you, Reito-kun."

As she was doing this the door flew open and a cold breeze blew in, accompanying a figure dressed down in baggy jeans and black hoodie, the hood pulled low so their features were hidden in shadow.

Upon entering the figure paused, almost waiting. The reason came a split second later as the two women who had been on the karaoke machine paused in their play tussle and looked up, eyes riveted to the newcomer. Instantly they broke apart and approached with tense steps.

Shizuru watched with barely hidden interest in the proceedings.

The three seemed to communicate silently for a few minutes, bodies shifting, heads tilting, eyes twitching, but all that ceased when the hooded one stiffened, head lifting as if to sniff.

As if in slow motion the dark face turned towards her and in those shadows two eyes blazed.

Two eyes of shining emerald.

Emerald eyes so alike to those from her nightmares.

Lips pulled back to reveal elongating fangs as the figure leapt towards her, snarling in fury.

* * *

><p>AN 'runs around in a panic' What to do? What to do? Should I kill anyone? Should I let the attacker get beaten to a pulp?

'pauses with an evil thought' Keeping me alive and the readers happy while still killing someone...where's Tomoe?

Anyway please review and share your thoughts; the good, the bad and the erm...can't think a third.


	5. Chapter 4

**A/N Oh my, sorry all for the delay on this one, got a little distracted with things. You know what summers can be like. I warn you now, it jumps around a fair bit, and there's probably a good number of mistakes that I missed. If anyone spots them don't hesitate to point them out. Comments and opinions welcome. Oh and almost forgot. Thanks for all the favs/alerts/reviews XD**

**Enjoy...**

* * *

><p>She lunged, hands twisted into claws, ready to deliver the final blow to exact her revenge. But something made her pause. Something about her target attracted her. The smell like tea and something...unfamiliar but welcome. The sights certainly not displeasing. Her jaws waited above that perfectly smooth skin, fangs waiting to sink in. Drowning in that divine smell. Tongue darting out unwillingly, a small taste. Utter heaven. A taste that would make all else taste like ash and dust.<p>

Instincts and mind fought for dominance. Instinct won, at least for now. She leapt away, head tilted quizzically. Every muscle demanded movement, every inch of her skin ached for the touch of the one before her.

"Get them out of here." she snarled, low and threatening.

Mai glanced at her Alpha, curious to know why she had backed away. Never before had her Alpha hesitated. Not waiting a moment longer least Natsuki change her mind, Mai dragged the two shell shocked humans out.

"Forgive me for this." she murmured before swiftly knocking them unconscious.

Mikoto had followed her mate out the door and cocked her head and the limb burdens. "Where are we meant to take them?"

"We have to make sure the Alpha can't find them. _Her_ especially. Can you find this guy's place?"

Mikoto sniffed the man, then began circling, nose held high, searching for a scent. She nodded, smiling happily.

Mai patted her on the head. "Good Mikoto, now let's go, can you erase our scent at the same time?" Again Mikoto nodded, already removing the scents, laying false trails as she pointed Mai in the right direction. Mai silently thanked the stars that her mate just happened to be the best tracker in the pack.

They found the male's apartment without too much difficulty. A reasonably tidy abode, but a bit sparse and impersonal for the motherly werewolf's tastes. They stripped and lay the pair on the bed, hoping that they would simply think it a one night stand and conveniently forget everything about that night.

"They do look quite good together, don't they Mikoto."

"Hmm?" Mikoto brought her head out of the fridge looking thoroughly disappointed, "Mai, there isn't any meat in here."

Mai sighed and rubbed her mate's head affectionately. "You really are a bottomless pit aren't you."

"Hmm-huh."

Mai chuckled. "Come on you, let's get back to the den and I'll feed you for doing such a good job." She paused, halfway to the door. "You sure that the Alpha won't be able to track the scent to here?"

Mikoto shrugged. "The way the Alpha is at the moment, I doubt the Alpha's up to doing anything at the moment."

Mai agreed sadly. "That's probably true. Come on. I think there's a big chunk of lamb waiting for us."

"Yay, lamb!" Mikoto practically skipped from the apartment, grinning like a maniac.

Together they left, heading out of town into the derelict areas. One's head was filled with food, the other worrying over an Alpha who may have just come across her worst nightmare. The last human on her list, but now she may be something more. Only one thing would make a werewolf stop an attack. Oh the irony of it all.

* * *

><p>Shizuru woke, feeling groggy and with the worst hangover.<p>

She groaned and grabbed her head, trying to ease the symptoms. She rolled over and squinted in the bright light. Something felt comfortably warm beside her and she snuggled closer.

Something moaned.

Words cannot describe how swiftly she moved. One moment she was lying in her bed, the next on the other side of the room in a blink, her red eyes wide in shock.

Reito Kanzaki was lying in her bed!

NAKED!

She could see his bare back, though fortunately the duvet covered his rear end and legs. Shizuru glanced down at herself and sighed in relief when she saw her semi dressed body, with no sign of an amorous night.

Something else caught her attention. This wasn't the bedroom of Shizuru Fujino. For one thing there wasn't any violet. Another was the organised mess. Books piled haphazardly, clothes abandoned on a leather chair, a few old tea cups.

Shizuru sneaked around on tip toe, terrified to wake the sleeping Reito, picking up her folded clothes as she went. Why did this still feel like a one night stand? Hang on. _Folded_ clothes? If anything amorous had happened then surely they would be strewn all over the place.

Creeping from the room, the door closing silently behind her, she released the held breath.

Now what to do?

A clock beeped, showing the time as eight thirty. Breakfast. But first a nice calming cup of tea.

She knew where everything was kept having been over many times in the past, though those trips were becoming fewer and fewer.

The tea brewed, she sat down at the table, holding the cup with both hands, mask in place.

That was how Reito found her. Quietly and calmly sipping tea, while he himself was still half asleep with a pounding headache, hair a mess, and in nothing more than boxer shorts.

On any other day Shizuru would have watched with amusement as Reito went about his morning routine; putting on the tea, stretching, filling up his cup, taking a sip and then finally turning with much more focused eyes which rested on Shizuru.

"Argh!" leaping backwards with a cup of tea was not the wisest thing to do. "Ouch, ouch ouch!" flicking his and hand and hissing in pain, he turned his attention back to Shizuru.

"What the blazes are you doing in my house?"

"Ara, if only I knew. Oh and good morning."

"Good morning." He answered gruffly, running his burnt hand under the cold water tap. "So? Any ideas what happened?" he paused frowning in thought about his own question. An answer struck him, draining all blood from his face. "We didn't…we couldn't…we wouldn't?"

"If you're referring a one night stand, then no we didn't. I certainly don't have any marks on me, and from what I've seen, neither do you."

Reito blushed, realising his underdressed state. "Ah…I'll be right back." He vanished into the bed room. Reappearing a few minutes fully dressed and groomed. He coughed nervously. "So, what really happened?"

"Your guess is as good as mine, Reito."

"You mean you have absolutely no idea how you ended up in my house last night?" Reito wore an expression of utter disbelief, something that was unusual.

"Ara that would seem to be correct. I remember us talking in the pub about a certain red head on the karaoke machine, but from then on…" A shrug.

"Why do I have the feeling that I know this story line?"

"Because you've been watching too many films recently?"

A soft smile. "Perhaps."

They sat in content silence, sipping away.

"I guess we had best get working on this mystery then? Mysteries are your specialty after all."

"Ara are you saying that my unusual choice of career is about to pay off?"

A mischievous smirk. "Perhaps."

* * *

><p>The derelict flat shuddered as she struck the wall over and over, staining the cracking wall dark with blood.<p>

Her pack lay in the shadows, well out of the way, knowing to let their Alpha cool down before approaching.

Again and again she struck out, causing concrete pillars to crumble to dust, walls to collapse, wooden structures to split and shatter, steel frames to bend and twist. Nothing could stand against the onslaught of an Alpha werewolf in full fury, nothing save her own pack, and one other thing.

All was still.

Natsuki panted heavily, chest heaving as she tried to regain her breath. Dust was settling everywhere, turning midnight blue tresses to grey, coating her perspiring skin in grim.

"At least we now know where to find a demolition team on short notice."

A growl followed instantly by a crash as a chunk of concrete shattered a foot from the red head's face.

"Shut it, Nao." Natsuki growled.

Nao snickered. "Oh, is our little leader a bit touchy today?"

"Nao!"

Nao turned to the other red head, more an orange than red truth be told, and shrugged. "Not my fault that you took her prey away last night. Why didn't you just let her kill that human? This stupid thing would finally be over."

In a flash Nao was pinned against the wall, a snarling Natsuki glaring at her.

"_What_ _is stupid?_"

Arms wrapped around Natsuki, restraining and pulling her back.

"Enough, Natsuki." Mai whispered in her ear. Natsuki may be Alpha, but she was Beta. Natsuki led and protected the pack, Mai mothered the pack, ensuring that it ran smoothly and all were cared for, and she would not let anyone hurt her pack, even its own Alpha.

"Help me out here!"

Instantly three bodies reached out, latching onto any loose limbs, wrapping themselves around the thrashing body. At long last she lay still.

"Can you think clearly, Natsuki?"

"Yes, Mai."

"Do we need to get serious?"

"No, Mai."

"Are you going to attack anyone?"

"Only if I'm provoked." A glare at Nao.

Satisfied with the answers, and the much calmer look in those emerald eyes, Mai nodded to the other three to let her go.

Natsuki rubbed her muscles, getting the blood flowing into them.

"Not so tight next time, Mai."

Mai suppressed a fond smile coming to her lips. Always so quick to anger and so easy to defuse, well it was easy if you had several werewolves handy, or a jug of mayonnaise. She shuddered at the thought of such a barbaric creation. Damn whoever had discovered it and cursed the entire pack to its fatty gloopiness.

"I'm going for a hunt. Anyone coming?" Natsuki asked. It was more out of courtesy than anything else. The pack knew she needed a lone hunt so each member cordially declined. Satisfied that no one else was accompanying her, Natsuki leapt out the building to the rooftops below, making her way across the city with inhuman speed and agility.

* * *

><p>Scents of forest. Trees and plant life, interspersed with the odd trace of animal. Rabbit. Dog. Human. Deer. Pheasant. Another dog with its human nearby. Was there no where that humans could reach and taint?<p>

Her hackles rose in disgust. The wisest choice would be to go after the rabbits. Small, quick and a fairly decent chase with a bite sized meal at the end. But she wasn't in the mood for a fast kill and a light snack. She needed something to burn away this energy.

Wolves didn't feel emotions in quite the same capacity as humans did, their mind taken with other problems, mostly daily life and survivability. And when they reached the correct age the need to mate, to continue on the line. Her body shuddered with anticipation as she remembered that scent. That taste.

Growling, she shook her head, trying to get rid of the memories that haunted her. But they persisted, refusing to leave her be.

Why wouldn't they leave? Why couldn't things be simpler? Like before Alyssa…

A snarl of fury, claws digging into the soft earth as muscles bunched.

The last one. The last kill before this blood oath was done and dusted, to be put aside once and for all. But why? Why did she have to it? Why did that girl have to be the one?

The scent of deer filled her nostrils. Perfect. A young buck, fit and eager. A waste of such a fine specimen, but it was survival of the fittest. May the best survive this.

She began to stalk her unwary prey.

* * *

><p>Shizuru's fingers blurred over the keyboard, setting a strange beat as her eyes scanned the screen, her right hand darting to the mouse every now and then. When at last her hands were still Reito leaned over and whistled softly.<p>

"I knew you were perfect at everything, but I never knew you knew how to hack into security systems. And with such ease? Truly astonishing."

Shizuru's smile widened with glee. "Ara were you expecting the goody goody two shoes you knew back in high school, Reito?"

"Not at all, not at all." Reito responded. "But I never expected you to dabble on the other side of the law."

Her smile turned mischievous. "Oh this isn't dabbling on the other side of the law, this is simple watching reality TV about my own life."

He chortled at her innocent statement. "Very true. Can you show what happened last night?"

She tapped a few keys, accessing the necessary cameras' memory files.

They watched with rapt attention as a small box appeared with a black and white street within. Shizuru fast forwarded though the video until a strange sight came on screen. A large chested woman hauling two bodies, one under each arm, while a smaller figure darted around her, pointing in a direction before vanishing down a side alley then promptly returning.

The pair watched the strange ensemble make their way, the smaller figure sniffing at the ground every now and then, pointing then going behind the other and vanishing. The process repeated itself until they reached the last camera with sat in the hallway outside Reito's apartment.

The pair communicated with each other before the smaller brought out a Reito's keys from his pocket and entering the apartment. Shizuru fast forwarded until they reappeared. Going by the shades the smaller was black haired and the other possibly red or possibly a brunette.

"We didn't see a red head last night, did we?" Shizuru asked, turning her head slightly to peer at Reito. He was a little too close for comfort so she leaned away, putting in some distance.

He wisely noticed this and backed off, leaning against the wall behind them, arms crossed and brow furrowed in thought.

"I'm not entirely sure. If we did, then I would have noticed, and from what I can make out from that bad recording then I most definitely would have noticed her."

"Ara I never knew you had a thing for red heads." Shizuru teased.

Out of the corner of his mouth Reito muttered, "I wasn't thinking of the hair, not on the head at least."

"What was that?" a half distracted Shizuru asked, eyes riveted to the screen as the smaller figure practically skipped out of shot.

"Nothing!" Reito answered, perhaps a little too quickly.

Shizuru ignored the obvious cover up and returned to her investigation. She knew that some part of Reito was considerably perverted, perhaps almost as much as a part of her was. Admittedly that part was buried in the deepest and darkest parts of her consciousness, far from the mask that so adeptly hid it from all the screaming fan girls. They'd be screaming a different tune if they ever came across _that_ part of her.

Shizuru swiftly rearranged her mask, ensuring the lecherous leer was hidden from public eye.

She was not sure why but bright emerald eyes framed in darkness kept edging its way to the fore of her thoughts. Why did those nightmares still haunt her? Unless…

Hands raced once more, bringing up frame after frame, her eyes scanning the information with startling speed.

Could there be a connection?

A cool breath on her neck. "Find anything?"

"Only someone hovering over my shoulder." She retorted, smiling dangerously at the room's other occupant.

Reito laughed nervously before scampering to the other side of the desk, seating himself on the dilapidated couch.

"If you want to help, look through those files." Shizuru pointed at the pile on the table before him. He sighed, before picking one up and started to read.

* * *

><p>"Alright Mai, spill what you know." Nao stated. It wasn't a command. After all in the pecking order she came below Mai, even if barely.<p>

Mai continued to carve the meat with practised ease, brows furrowed.

"I don't know exactly, but something doesn't seem right."

"Of course something isn't right, Mai. The Alpha is in a confused rage, muttering about coming so close and yet so far. Mikoto told us that you came across the last human on the list, and yet Natsuki didn't end it. Why not? Tell me what happened."

Mai chewed on her lip. She could hear the concern in the red head's voice, even if Nao would never admit it to anyone, herself included.

"All I know is that we were at that bar. Mikoto and I were on the karaoke. We had just finished and the door opened with Natsuki coming in. we spoke for a bit but then she went all tense and fixed in on a woman in a corner. Next thing we know she went into full on hunter mode, pouncing on the woman. And then without warning she leapt backwards and ordered us to take the shell shocked pair out of there. We high tailed it out of there before Natsuki could reconsider."

Nao chewed on her nails. Definitely a bad sign. She was particularly fond of her nails, spending hours at a time caring for them.

"So what you're saying is that Natsuki stopped mid bite." Mai nodded. "And ordered you to get out of there?" another nod. "There's only one thing that will stop a werewolf from making a kill, especially that close." Another nod from Mai.

Nao's face lit up with an evil grin. Mai saw it and felt a cold shiver go up her spine.

"Nao, what are you planning?"

"Is that girl's file with the rest of them?" a hesitant nod. "Excellent. Mai hurry and feed your pet, we're going to go pay a visit to our mystery prey."

Nao vanished from the kitchen leaving a puzzled Mai behind.

Comprehension dawned on her followed instantly by mixed horror and amusement. "You can't possibly mean…oh you sly dog, Nao Yuuki!"

She hurried with the meal, changing the recipe in a flash. The sooner they left the better. They didn't want their very confused Alpha catching wind of this.


End file.
